Thunder Paws' first day: one, last, lingering look

As the decades pile up in a person's life, there are days that can barely be remembered, others that are utterly forgotten, some that come back upon thought and reflection and then there are a tiny handful that stand out so strong in one's memory, either for good or bad, that they are never far from present consciousness.

The day that Thunder Paws came to live with us is such a day.

I remember it so well because it was a sweet, sweet, warm day.

All my children were still children, and they were a bright and eager bunch. Having them around was better than I knew, even when I knew it was good. On this day, I knew that having them there was very good.

And me, restless soul that I am, always climbing into an airplane, and flying off to somewhere else. Yet no place that I have ever been could give me what I found that day, May 15, 1992, in my own house and yard.

And capping it all of was Thunder Paws, brand new among us. What a bright fellow he was. Brighter than we knew. Sweeter than we could imagine. More loving than we would have believed. And so, although I have already told you the complete story of that first day, I am reluctant to leave it behind, yet again, and so I linger, for one more post, and share these five additional pictures from that day with you.